Recall counts

THE RECALL of Sen. Angela Giron, D-Pueblo, clearly showed that those wanting her out were more committed and energized than her supporters were in state Senate District 3.

Sen. Giron was recalled by 56-to-44 percent even though the voter registration was more than 2-to-1 in favor of her fellow Democrats over Republicans. In the end, 58 percent of registered Republicans turned out for the election, compared with 40 percent of registered Democrats and 31 percent of unaffiliated or third-party members.

While obviously you can’t presume all Republicans voted for the recall, the fact is the GOP turnout of 10,851 was impressive against 15,472 Democrats and 7,655 others who cast votes.

The clear conclusion is that a very substantial number of Democrats and independents — perhaps 9,000 or more — were included in the 19,355 votes to recall Sen. Giron.

This was a remarkable result, given the overwhelming 3-to-1 fund-raising advantage for Sen. Giron over pro-recall forces during the campaign.

The Senate District 3 of more than 34,500 voters nearly doubled the 17,845 votes counted in Senate District 11, where Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, was recalled by just 343 votes.

Two Republicans were elected — George Rivera to replace Sen. Giron in Pueblo and Bernie Herpin to replace Sen. Morse in Colorado Springs. Once the election results are certified, as early as this week, Mr. Rivera and Mr. Herpin will be sworn in as new members of the Colorado Senate.

The recall election — the first-ever against a state lawmaker in the history of Colorado — will cut the Democrats’ 20-15 majority in the Senate to 18-17, the narrowest of margins.

There’s a renewed opportunity for a more moderate Colorado Senate, a move toward the political center where, polls show, a majority of the public happens to be.

Political competition is conducive to good government, far preferable to a Statehouse — House, Senate and governor — controlled by one party.

In reaction to the startling results, someone noted that “Pueblo is different.” Yes, Puebloans, including Democrats for the most part are more moderate to conservative than the more liberal Denver-Boulder metroplex. A responsible move toward moderate to conservative fiscal and regulatory policies, in particular, would be good for Colorado.